台湾海峡导弹危机是指1995年至1996年间，中国政府为震慑"台独"势力、反击美国的外交挑衅而进行的系列军事演习行动。

1995年6月7日至11日，"台独"分子李登辉访美，美国政府打破了将近17年不准台湾最高层领导人访美的"禁令"，严重损害了中美关系的政治基础。同时还为台湾当局推行"两个中国"、"一中一台"政策打气撑腰，助长了台湾当局和国际反华势力的嚣张气焰。为维护地区和平、震慑台独分子、反击美国的外交挑衅，1995年7月和1996年3月，中国进行了两次大规模导弹实弹发射演习，台海局势骤然紧张，因此被称为"台湾海峡导弹危机"。

"台湾海峡导弹危机"有力地震慑了"台独"势力，充分表明了中国政府维护国家统一的坚定意志和决心，也使得克林顿政府清楚地认识到台湾问题的敏感性以及中美关系的重要性。

The Taiwan Strait Missile Crisis

The Taiwan Strait missile crisis was triggered by a series of military exercises conducted by the Chinese government in 1995 and 1996 to deter a visible display of separatist ambitions on Taiwan and to counter U.S. diplomatic provocation.

Lee Teng-hui, a proponent of Taiwan independence, visited the United States from June 7 to 11, 1995, after the U.S. government revoked a 17-year ban on visits by high-level Taiwanese officials to the United States in a policy reversal that seriously undermined the political basis for Sino-US relations. The U.S. government also gave its backing to the Taiwanese authorities in promoting the "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan" policy, encouraging the Taiwanese authorities and international anti-China forces to launch further and more egregious initiatives. In order to maintain regional peace, deter further moves by Taiwanese separatists, and respond to U.S. diplomatic provocation, China conducted two large-scale live-firing missile exercises in July 1995 and March 1996. The rapid escalation of tensions in the Taiwan Strait that followed was called the "Taiwan Strait missile crisis."

A potent deterrent against attempts to spit the nation, the "Taiwan Strait missile crisis"demonstrated the firm resolve of the Chinese government to preserve national unity, and sent an unequivocal message to the Clinton administration that it should be clear about the sensitive nature of the Taiwan question and the importance of Sino-US relations.